Helen of Wyndhorn

C.K. Cole, creator of the legendary sword and sorcery protagonist, Othon, killed himself at a relatively young age, leaving his daughter, Helen, in the care of his father, Barnabas, who then hired Lilith Appleton, a stern governess, to turn her into a proper lady.  As Lilith tells the story, that didn’t happen as it was hard keeping the girl in line even before the truth about her grandfather came out.  That truth being he was able to travel between our world and a fantasy world as vivid as anything Othon ever experienced, fighting wretched foes, making great friendships, and witnessing glorious sights.  It’s enough to give Helen a reason to forge her life into something worth living, but does any of that matter if the story Lilith is telling isn’t true?

After working together on the mixed bag that was “Supergirl:  Woman of Tomorrow,” writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely teamed up to give us this miniseries inspired by the life and works of “Conan” creator Robert E. Howard.  King spins a dense yet familiar story that is ostensibly focused on Helen’s growth following the death of her father, and how she finds purpose in her life accompanying her grandfather on his excursions into this other world.  Yet at the same time he also follows Lilith’s account of her time at Wyndhorn and how it passes through the years through various hands – scholars, fans, collectors – with the possible truth it represents never really getting its due.

Is King commenting on the lack of respect the sword and sorcery genre, or fantasy in general, gets in most respectable circles of critics?  Possibly.  The thing is that it never really becomes clear what deeper meaning this story is meant to have, if any.  That’s something of a problem here as it means we’re left with a solidly executed narrative about a girl trying to please her difficult grandfather that plays out exactly as you’d expect.  There aren’t any real twists or turns here, which means that you’re left counting on the parts outside that narrative to give it a deeper meaning and that never happens.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason to pick up this story, however.  Evely won this year’s Eisner award for Best Penciller/Inker and it’s clear why from the very first page.  The fantasy imagery she conjures truly has to be seen to be believed as she renders the exploits of Helen and Barnabas in the other world as vividly as possible.  It would’ve been something to have seen the entire miniseries there, but the scenes set in the real world have their own stark beauty to them too.  The real feels genuine here with its focus on its characters helping the fantasy stand out all the more.

So if you love fantastic art, then you need to have this in your library.  Evely has been doing great work for years, but this is a clear high point following her previously excellent work in “The Dreaming” and “Supergirl.”  I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s propping up King’s work here, but he’s done better elsewhere.  This time he’s lucky to have his solid work elevated by the artist.